Iran cuts saffron export duty to zero

The Iranian Customs Administration has removed duty on saffron exports, IRNA reported on Monday. Exports of saffron at any volume and amount will be free from duties, it said in a statement.

Saffron flowers

Iran's saffron exports will increase by 15 percent in the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, the secretary of the National Iranian Saffron Council said in May.

Farshid Manouchehri added that Iran exported 126 tons of saffron, valued at $384 million, to different countries in the past Iranian calendar year.

The volume of saffron exports is anticipated to reach about 140 tons in the current year, he added.

On January 20, IRNA quoted Agriculture Ministry official Naser Tavakkoli as saying that Iran plans to increase its agricultural exports to 118 million tons in the current Iranian calendar year from 107 million tons in the past year.

Saffron is a spice derived from the dried stigma of
the flower of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), a species of crocus in the
family Iridaceae. The flower has three stigmas, which are the distal ends of the
plant's carpels. Iran ranks first in the world production of saffron, with more
than 94 percent of the world yield. Other minor producers of saffron are Spain,
India, Greece, Azerbaijan, Morocco, and Italy (read more on wikipedia).